On the Shoulders of Giants
by Kronus96
Summary: For countless millennia, the Eighteen Gods of War ruled all of humanity with an iron fist. The people who longed to be free of their tyranny rose in rebellion. Even when an entire continent stood against him, the God-King Ankhseram refused to relinquish his hold of the people. So, the champion of the people and the God-King dueled to decide the fate of all men.
1. Chapter 1

I don't own Fairy Tail or Naruto. Please support the official release.

I don't endorse any of the views expressed by characters in this story.

Episode 1: Serene Island

XXXXXXXXX

Minato winced, clutching the wound on his thigh as he leaned against a tree. He tapped the seal inscribed on his wristband, unsealing three kunai with the Flying Raijin formula. He threw two of the kunai into trees at his sides and kept the third. The hair on the back of Minato's neck rose. _Has he already found me?_

Thousands of jagged, purple crystals the size of an eye appeared in the air at his left. Minato immediately flipped through hand signs. The crystals shot at him in a blur as a black barrier materialized before him. The crystals vanished into the barrier, then reappeared from the kunai to Minato's left at their master. A purple wall of crystals rose, making the small crystals shatter upon impact.

Minato froze. He looked down to find a hole the size of a fist in his stomach. He realized the trees in front of him had a similar sized hole through them. Minato sank to a knee, panting with sweat pouring down his face. His foe's magic flared, launching another barrage of crystals from every direction. _Single Yang Formation! _Minato clapped his hands together, and a red barrier surrounded him. The crystals shattered upon impact, briefly blinding Minato with their shards.

When his vision cleared, his killer stood before him. "You… who are you? Did Michello send you?" Minato demanded, forcing himself to stand. He leaned against the tree with one hand.

"No." The man answered. He was shrouded in shadow with only his pitch black hair and the glowing, gold patterns across his skin visible.

_That mark over his heart is an ankh._ Minato narrowed his eyes. "Then why are you doing this?" _My legs are going numb already, but I can't teleport yet, I need more information._

"I'll humor you. Consider it a deadtime story," the man shrugged. Minato clenched his fist. _So much for talking distracting him, he's still building up magic to break my barrier. _"A century ago, your council created the Nakagami Armor for the sake of escaping Mother's Principles. A few years ago, citizens of Ishgar attempted to travel through time. And now, Namikaze, your subordinates have violated the Principles of Life and Death… I was far too lenient with this world, for far too long."

Minato narrowed his eyes. "So, you're the one who murdered five councilmembers a century ago." _The gods have laws restricting who they can punish. If he's killing someone who hasn't violated any of Mother's Principles, then that can only mean one thing._ "You intend to deliver Mother's Justice, don't you?

The god narrowed his eyes. It was all the answer Minato needed. He ripped off a chunk of bark. The man's magic flared, then crystals shot from the earth in front of Minato.

Minato made the seal of confrontation. The next instant, he was standing in front of his home. Minato fell to his hands and knees with a gasp. Gritting his teeth, he pushed off the ground as hard as he could, then his arms buckled. _He built up his magic while we talked to create a crystal that could grow within my barrier. _Minato chuckled. _I hope you can forgive me Naruto. Dad's leaving you quite a mess, isn't he?_

Minato tightened his grip on the bark as his hand was consumed by yellow chakra. _Carving Seal. I'm leaving you with a burden, but I know you'll rise to the challenge. _Minato smiled. _I entrust everything to you, son. _He exhaled, and his eyes shut for the last time. Even in death, Minato held the bark that held the future's hope tight. The bark was inscribed with a single word — the name of the God-King.

Ankhseram.

XXXXXXX

"Hurry it up! If we're late to this one because you overslept I'm destroying that stupid flak jacket!"

"Five more minutes," Naruto muttered as he rolled onto his side. Something soft and furry smacked his cheek. He groaned and pushed himself to his feet. He opened his eyes to find a red-orange tail on his nose. "You're awfully impatient for a thousand-year-old demon," Naruto grumbled. "The sun is barely up yet."

"I am going to eat you someday," Kurama hissed.

"Our life forces are bound to one another," Naruto responded as he stretched. "And you look like a regular fox right now; you're not scaring anybody." Naruto reached down and picked Kurama up before placing him into their bag, so only his head stuck out.

"Why Kushina? Why would you leave me to this brat?" Kurama demanded as he stared up at the sky.

"Because you're an even bigger brat."

"I loathe you."

"Love you too, Kurama," Naruto responded with a laugh. _Now then, which way was it? I think it's this way._ A hundred paces to their right, he found his sight blocked by a heavy fog. Naruto blinked, rubbed his eyes, and looked up. Gray and black clouds covered the sky above the fog like a thick blanket. "You're supposed to tell me when weird things happen, ya know!" he reminded Kurama with a glare.

"Consider this a lesson from yours truly. Take better care to examine your environment next time. Honestly, this is the first time you've slipped up like this in years."

"The one who wakes up first is supposed to mention weird stuff! That's been the rule for years!"

"First I'm hearing of it," Kurama said with a shrug.

"You're the one who made the rule!" Naruto said, his frown sinking into a scowl. Kurama ignored Naruto in favor of licking his paw. Naruto huffed, threw their bag over his shoulders, and strode from the tiny island they'd spent the night on toward the fog. One thing he appreciated about his career was that It didn't matter much if you forgot which direction your destination was, as long as you went in the direction your instincts told you not to go, you'd reach your destination.

"Decades here and this world still feels weird," Kurama said.

"Hmm? How?"

"This form I've taken for one, " Kurama snorted, "And in our world, a kunai could kill even Hashirama. It seems every mage worth their salt in this world can catch a blade with their bare hand."

"You could do that in the world you were born in," Naruto pointed out.

"Not the point!" Kurama muttered, glaring at Naruto. "Humans doing it is weird."

"Sulking cause you're not special?" Naruto inquired with a sly smirk. Kurama went back to grooming, and Naruto laughed. "I gotta admit, blocking cutting and stabbing attacks without using chakra would be pretty great," Naruto said with a smile.

"Now that I think about it, we might need to rethink your career," Kurama deadpanned. "Walking toward the ominous fog that's under a dark sky is never a good idea."

"Please, you'd be sleeping all day if I didn't have this job!" Naruto paused a few steps before the fog and flipped through hand signs. _Wind Style: Great Breakthrough! _A gust of wind crashed through the fog, clearing a path for them. He ran through it. "I think we'll go to that resort. Even Fairy Tail can't destroy too much in two weeks, right?" _There are a few people around there I'll be needing to negotiate with._

"Finally! After two and a half years!" Kurama huffed. "If you waited any longer I'd go on strike."

"You don't work for me," Naruto pointed out as used the Great Breakthrough again.

"Not the point," Kurama said, giving Naruto a tap with his paw. " Now kick it up a notch. We should get to the island as quick as possible." Naruto had to agree. This fog couldn't mean anything good for Serene Island. _We aren't teammates anymore, but I won't let your homeland be destroyed because they can't pay the Magic Council's taxes, James._

XXXXXXXXXX

Naruto sighed as he took his first step on land. The journey was long and boring. Not one monster or mage waiting for them in the clearly formed by an evil force fog. _Was it really too much for there to be a sea serpent or something? _The only odd thing was the lack of fish or turtles.

"My power is maximum," Kurama mumbled. "All shall kneel before my might."

"Sure, buddy," Naruto murmured with a chuckle. _He's kind of cute when he sleeps. Don't think I'll tell him that. Now, I think the nearest town is Serna. _He turned to take in the rest of the beach. The last time he'd come, the island seemed a paradise. The white sand, the clear waters, the vibrant green of the abundant coconut trees, and the laughter of the locals were etched in his mind years.

That beach, so full of laughter and life, was abandoned. Frowning deeply, Naruto headed toward Serna. _At least the fog is thinner here. _As he grew closer to the town, he noticed many coconut trees had been slashed in two, thin trenches were carved into the earth at random, and there were several small holes too deep for him to see the bottom. Naruto knelt in front of a single massive footprint with three toes longer than Naruto's hands. The sand next to the footprint looked to have been wiped smooth.

_This thing is smart enough to hide its footprints, which means it can't be identified by any outsiders who've come to help the island, but it missed one print. Maybe the local militia attacked it before it could finish? But where are the corpses? Did they win without losing anyone? _He sighed and wiped the sweat from his brow before running again. As he ran, he found more torn trees, trenches, and small holes. He sped up. _Am I too late?_

It didn't take long for them to reach the town. Naruto smiled when he saw the town gates were still manned. The gates were logs bound together by vines that had been strengthened by a form of plant magic. His smile widened when he saw the gates were unscratched_. _Naruto stopped about ten yards in front of the gates. He turned back. _The destruction the beast caused stopped about a couple hundred yards away from the town itself. The barrier surrounding this place must be way stronger._

"You there! State your purpose!" one of the five guards barked, making Kurama burrow deeper into the bag. Naruto reached into his pocket and showed them the request they'd sent; then he showed them the burnt orange sash with a black ankh on it tied around his left arm.

"I'm from the Council," Naruto told them with a smile.

"The council," a guard repeated, scowling. He was an old man with graying, blond hair, and a full beard. "We told you, we can't pay!"

"I'm not here to collect taxes," Naruto said, his smile becoming a bit smaller. "I'm here to help, free of charge."

"Free of charge, huh," the old guard's eyes narrowed. The other guards whispered among themselves while the gray-bearded guard stared down at him for a moment. He muttered something to another guard, and the gate was lifted.

"Thanks!" Naruto said as he walked through. He glanced at the walls that surrounded the town on all sides. _The walls were made with the same magic as the gates. _It was quite an improvement over the defenses Serna had the last time he'd come. _The magic coming from those vines isn't something to scoff at. They must have gotten lacrima to reinforce the walls. _He glanced around the area directly behind the gate. The buildings he could see were almost hidden behind a line of trees with many thick branches on them that started growing lower than the average tree. _They probably use plant magic on those trees to slow down anything that manages to get past the wall._

"Thank you for your help, Rune Knight," the old guard said in a tense tone.

"I'm the Councilor of Fiore's twelfth province," Naruto said in a dry tone. The old guard twitched as the other four guards began to whisper among themselves again.

"A pleasure to meet you Councilor," the old guard said, extending a hand, "I am the Captain of Seren Town's militia. My men and I look forward to helping you slay this menace."

"Oh? So, you're the famous Captain Pierce?" Naruto's eyes lit up as he took the captain's hand. "James talked about you all the time! I was really hoping to meet you the last time I was here."

"James," Pierce repeated, blinking. "You know my grandson?"

"We were teammates," Naruto said with a smile, "The five of us-" Kurama stirred in the pack. "The six of us came here a few years back. It was after Lord Hyberion finished cleaning up most of the demons running wild here."

"Ah, when I was on the mainland," Pierce nodded. He turned and motioned for Naruto to follow him. "Let me show you where you can spend the night."

"Thank you," Naruto responded while inclining his head slightly. Pierce walked, Naruto followed, and another guard followed quietly once they thought Naruto wasn't looking. He rolled his eyes. Pierce stopped before the trees.

"I feel I must warn you that you'll have to leave your weapons with the staff of the inn," Pierce told him. "If we find you don't give the inn every weapon you have-"

"I'll be escorted outside the town gates and left to fend for myself," Naruto finished. "I'll give everything I have. I promise." Pierce nodded and began walking again. The pack wiggled before Kurama stuck his head out.

"He's definitely that brat's grandfather," Kurama said in a deadpan. Pierce tensed while Naruto pressed a finger to his lips. Kurama rolled his eyes and slid into the pack while keeping his head out enough to see their surroundings.

Serna hadn't changed much. The roads and houses were made of drab gray stones. Most of the houses were a single story tall and had small trees growing near them. The sweet scent of apples carried in the air, just as it had almost seven years ago.

Though the sun was only up enough to peek through the storm clouds, the people of Serna were already starting their day. They waved and smiled at Pierce and Naruto warmly. Naruto returned with waves of his own while Pierce merely nodded. A few townspeople noticed the ankh on Naruto's sash, and their smiles fell a bit, but they still wished him a good day.

"There's more greenery here than I remember in this town," Kurama said, glancing between the homes. Each house had small plants in front of them or had a small garden, and the larger houses had a couple of trees and bushes in their yard.

"We planted several trees and bushes after the demon attacks six and a half years ago," Pierce explained.

"I guess that would make anyone want to improve their defenses," Naruto said as he placed a hand over his chest. The scar he'd gotten from a demon he'd killed on that day still ached occasionally.

"Improve our defenses," Pierce snorted, "These defenses are nothing compared to what we had thirty years ago! Had we been prepared properly; the demons could have been killed without help from outsiders." He shook his head, looking a bit like a father chastising his child. "They should've been fine without my help."

Naruto glanced at the man's frown. James tended to blame himself for things he couldn't control too. It made it easier to picture the two as a family. James often spoke of his grumpy, stubborn grandfather who drilled him until he was stronger than almost every adult in his town. Even when he complained, it was obvious James loved and admired his grandfather. Naruto lowered his gaze to the ground.

Pierce stopped. Naruto stumbled, shooting a chain from his shoulder to wrap around a nearby tree to steady him. Sighing, Naruto retracted the chain. _Zoning out in public,_ _I need more rest than I thought. _"We're here," Pierce said.

"Eh, thanks," Naruto said, reaching to rub the back of his head. Pierce grunted, gave him a nod, and walked toward five guards sitting in front of a nearby house drinking out of beer jugs. Naruto winced. _This isn't going to end well._

"What the hell are you idiots doing!" Pierce roared, making the guards jump and scramble away. "I'll skin you alive if you abandon your posts again!"

Naruto ran into the inn.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Naruto yawned and looked up at the sky. The storm clouds seemed to be even darker than they were yesterday, but there was a warm breeze that made him smile. _I wonder what it says of me as a ninja that I still slept like a log in such a dangerous place. _Naruto shrugged and turned to open his room's door.

Naruto paused with his hand on the room's doorknob. He turned to find a boy across the street staring at him. Naruto smiled and waved. The boy blinked before offering a grin with a few gaps in it. "What're you standing around for? We're opening in a half hour!" a man's voice boomed, making the boy jump.

"Coming!" the boy cried, racing into the shop behind him. Naruto laughed. _I bet I looked like that when mom called me. _His smile shrank a bit_. Are we really fine with letting him die because Serene can't afford to pay their taxes? I think other countries have failed to pay their taxes and still received protection from the council. If that's the case, then It's possible the real reason we're not trying to bring this island back into the fold is far more complicated than it looks._

Pergrande conquered Serene over two and a half centuries ago. In those days, Pergrande functioned more like a military-run empire than the constitutional monarchy it was today. It took what it wanted, from who it wanted, and consumed small countries like a fire devoured dry wood — _quite a bit like Alvarez from Alikatasia._ Serene Island stayed under the thumb of Pergrande until the Giant Queen, Lynne, declared the Island a territory of her newly formed Magic Council.

After Founder Lynne killed the King of Pergrande, the island remained an Ishgarian territory for generations and was granted the privileges that came with being a territory. Though most mainlanders had no desire to interact with the island, there were more than a few who were willing to trade and mingle with the people of Serene Island.

It was said their standard of living continued to improve until the woes of their past were distant memories. Everything changed when Ishgar experienced a historic famine that resulted in millions of people starving. The council couldn't afford to extend its protection to so many countries, and since Serene was a territory, the government decided to withdraw their troops. Several crews of pirates struck after the Rune Knights were recalled. They plundered many villages and killed thousands of people before meeting their end at the claws of the demons they'd awoken deep in Serene's jungle. Those demons would push the citizens to the coasts

_If only Serene Island had agreed to become more than a territory before it was too late. _He supposed it wasn't fair to blame them for fearing to have their freedom stripped from them after decades of occupation. _The people of this island were citizens. They have to become citizens, but it won't be easy to convince mainlanders the citizens of Serene should have equal status and representation on the council as every other country._

To this day, citizens of Ishgar's mainland considered Serene Island a land abandoned by the gods. As long as anyone knew, monsters called the island home. The vicious demons and tenacious beasts that dwelled deep in the forests and hills in the island's center were formidable and possessed forms of magic most mages would never see in their careers. Those creatures and the pirates that ravaged the island from time to time had many mainlanders convinced the island wasn't worth saving. _Dad did like to say nothing worth doing is ever easy._

Naruto opened the door. "Kurama get up! We're meeting the Fairy Tail guy for breakfast!"

"No," Kurama mumbled. Naruto rolled his eyes. He grabbed the blanket and yanked it. Blank sheets greeted him.

"You can't be serious," Naruto deadpanned. "You hid so you could sleep in."

"Maybe."

"Whatever," Naruto sighed. He headed toward the door. "I guess I'll go alone. I think I'll take that stuffed toy with me… It's cuter than you are anyway."

"You traitor!" Kurama roared as he sprang from beneath the bed with his teeth bared. Naruto grabbed him by his nape. "I can't believe I fell for it again," Kurama muttered.

"I can't either," Naruto said with a shrug while stepping out the door. "I don't even have any stuffed animals." Naruto placed Kurama on his shoulder, ignoring the glare his partner was giving him as he walked up the wall of the inn.

"Sometimes I think we should just settle down in a peaceful place like this, " Kurama sighed.

"Seriously?" Naruto blinked. "You really mean that?"

"Hell no! Now get me to that cafe!" Kurama said as he pointed toward the cafe.

"Wait, you remember where the cafe is after six years? Food and sleep are the only things you care about, aren't they?"

"You know they are. Now get moving, " Kurama ordered. Naruto rolled his eyes and leaped from the inn to a nearby home. Moments later, he landed in front of the café. _Traveling this way is so much better than walking. _Above the entrance to the café, there was a tablet with a green-skinned, blue-eyed woman who had vines that reached the back of her knees atop her head instead of hair.

"Serena's Cafe," Naruto murmured. "That name… I feel like I should remember it."

"You should. Serene is named after her," Kurama grunted, pointing at the tablet. "Serena was one of the Eighteen War Gods of Magic. She protected the people of Serene and taught them the plant magic they use to this day. This island was free as long as she was alive."

"Oh right, James talked about her," Naruto said, tapping his chin in thought. _I still don't get why he'd want to resurrect a goddess to fight her. _Naruto strode into the cafe and returned the cheerful greeting he was given. In a corner across the restaurant, sat a man with a blue bandana, a green mask that obscured most of his face, a dark blue cloak, and had bandages covering the majority of his limbs. The magic staves at the man's side confirmed his identity. Naruto sat in the booth across the masked man.

"You're Mystogan? Nice to meet you," Naruto said, smiling. "I'm Naruto. This guy's name is Kurama."

"Mystogan," Mystogan's dark eyes watched him carefully. Even though his voice was muffled, it was easy to tell it was a bit deeper than average, and his tone was calm and measured. "It's a pleasure to work with you, Councilor."

"No need to lie, we know you didn't want to come," Kurama smirked. Naruto glared down at him, which the demon fox ignored. "Makarov warned you not to trust us, didn't he? He told you being requested to join a Counselor on a mission couldn't bode well for you, or the guild," he chuckled. "I'll bet he's worried we're gonna crack down on Fairy Tail. Your master is quite paranoid, isn't he?

Mystogan tensed, glaring at Kurama, and Naruto sighed. _I should have seen this coming._ While his father and Makarov hadn't ever been on the best terms, his mother hated Makarov and Kurama did too. The time since his mother's death was the blink of an eye to a millennia-old demon. Naruto clapped his hands, drawing the attention of everyone in the cafe. "How we got here doesn't matter. We're here now, and we need to work together. That's all that matters."

Mystogan slowly relaxed, unclenching his fist and leaning back in the booth, Kurama turned to look out the windows, and Naruto smiled. "Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to know a bit more about your sleep magic."

"Before that, I take it you've already looked into my general fighting style?" Mystogan asked. Naruto nodded. "Good. My sleep magic is a light magic based barrier spell that affects all who are within it."

Kurama narrowed his eyes. "Is it stronger if you focus on one target?"

Mystogan shook his head. "The number of targets doesn't matter. The size of the barrier is what determines the strength of the spell. The larger the barrier, the weaker its effect will be."

"That's… totally awesome!" Naruto cried. Mystogan's eyes widened. "I've never heard of a light spell like that, ya know! Did you make it?"

"Er, well, my grandmother created it."

"I've gotta meet her!" Naruto grinned.

"I don't think you'll be able to," Mystogan said while averting his gaze.

"Oh, I get it," Naruto winced. "My condolences."

"She isn't dead," Mystogan huffed.

"Just nod and say yes every so often. He'll never know you're not listening," Kurama yawned. Naruto pouted.

Mystogan cleared his throat. "Anything else before we eat?"

XXXXXXXXX

A light, warm gust blew through the street, sending the leaves rustling. Kurama narrowed his eyes. _I know I felt something lurking around this town. _He hissed and swatted a pebble in his path. _If I could still sense negative emotions, this would be simple. _He lowered his snout to the earth and sniffed. _Nothing here either. _Kurama continued to search slowly with his snout lowered and his ears twitching at the slightest sound. After several minutes of searching and weaving through the people walking in the roads, he felt strong magic to his left.

_It might be a good thing there aren't any humans down this road._ It was at that moment he saw something black that appeared to be slithering like a snake. Kurama's eyes widened when it disappeared into the shadow of a large building.

He turned to face the building, his eyes darting around the shadow, then he noticed part of it moving. Kurama crouched. Whatever it was, it hadn't realized he'd seen it. It slithered behind the building almost silently; then he felt another small burst of magic. A crack like thunder made Kurama stiffen as the building shook.

"Outside! Everyone!" Pierce barked. _That's where the militiamen were meeting? _Men poured out mere moments later; then a hiss came from behind the building. A chill fell upon them, drawing shudders from the militiamen, as the warm breeze disappeared — a giant four-fingered black hand wrapped around the building's corner creating cracks in the stone. Men paled, cursed, and Kurama could feel his heart speeding up. _This is no ordinary demon…_

Another hiss, a moment of silence, and it stepped into view. It was a pitch black reptilian creature that had a broad, flat head, and silver eyes. It must have stood over eight-feet tall on its two legs, and the muscular tail that was whipping behind it was as long as it was tall. What caught his eye were the enormous scales that were a deep gray and covered the beast's limbs. _Those black scales may look like any other lizard's; those gray scales the size of small plates almost look like a knight's armor._ _Those scales might resist cutting and piercing attacks. _Kurama took a few steps back into a bush. He needed to observe its fighting style before Naruto came.

The men trembled as black energy seeped from its hide. Its silver eyes narrowed as it took a step forward. Five militiamen turned and fled. The demon's eyes lit up while Pierce paled. "You fools! Don't show it your back!"

Five black rivers of energy burst from the demon's shadow and slithered across the earth until they touched the shadows of the men running. They froze, their mouths open as though they were attempting to scream, but no sound came. Black tendrils from beneath their feet rose to envelop them before the men sank into their shadows.

The demon rumbled, its lips twitching up as though in a smile, then it turned to the other militiamen.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Hope you enjoyed it.


	2. Chapter 2

Author's Note:

Naruto's chakra color will be yellow like it is in the manga. His elements will have the weaknesses FT elements have. In other words, his wind won't be weak to fire. Jutsu and spells will be explained at the bottom of the chapter.

Probably should've added this on the first chapter.

I don't own Naruto or Fairy Tail. Please support the official release.

Episode 2: Lord of Shadows

Xxxxxxxxxxxx

Mere minutes before Serna came under attack...

XXXXXXXXXXX

Naruto sipped his tea. "Oh, and he can transfer energy to you if you need it, but it's not something he can do very often. Can't say anything else about his abilities, sorry." Kurama hated telling anyone anything about his jutsu.

Mystogan nodded. "I understand."

Naruto grimaced. "One more thing, don't bump fists with him unless you think you're going to die." _If Kurama syncs with anyone other than me, they'd be lucky to lose a decade of their life. _Naruto didn't doubt Kurama would sacrifice Mystogan without a second thought if he thought it necessary.

"I'll keep that in mind."

Naruto smiled. "Master Makarov refused every offer I made to work with him until now. Do you know why he changed his mind?"

Mystogan put his fork down and met Naruto's gaze. "The master was going to refuse your request. I'm here because I wanted to come."

Naruto sighed and leaned back the booth. "I've been turned down again then, huh? Well, I appreciate you coming. I guess I'll have to-" Naruto and Mystogan stiffened. The hair on the back of Naruto's neck stood on end, and he leaped to his feet. The other customers trembled, their faces were pale, and a few were crying.

He raced out of the cafe with Mystogan at his heels. A man screamed behind him. Naruto leaped atop the cafe and Body Flickered toward the scream. He skidded to a stop in front of three houses that had been cut in half. Mist flew over his head before another man screamed. _That's Mystogan's Mist Body spell. _Naruto pressed himself flat against one of the houses and peeked around it. His eyes widened. _What the hell happened here?_

Mangled corpses, severed limbs, and broken spears were scattered across the street. Naruto grimaced as the putrid stench of the battle assaulted him. A man had been gutted. Pierce stood in front of twenty other militiamen with his back toward Naruto in the middle of the street. Across them stood the source of the chilling magic.

A bead of cold sweat slid down Naruto's temple. Standing across from the militiamen, was a bipedal reptilian creature taller than eight-feet wreathed in shadow. It held an unmoving man's head in a giant four-fingered hand and had a foot planted on another man's chest. _If it's this strong, I should try to ambush it._

Pierce inched toward it; then the demon pressed down on the man beneath its feet. The guard screamed as a crack that made half the militiamen flinch came from his chest. Scowling, Pierce took a step back.

The demon tossed the man in its hand aside. Naruto winced when he struck a house before falling to the earth in a heap with his neck bent at an unnatural angle. It paused and sniffed the air. A yellow magic circle appeared over the demon's head. It leaped away from the magic circle and bared its curved canine-teeth.

The demon's eyes narrowed when the magic circle faded without a spell. Vines shot from the earth in front of Pierce and wrapped around the demon's neck. "Bind it!"

"Yes sir!" the militia cried as countless vines shot from the earth. The demon stared with a calculating gleam in its silver eyes; then the vines engulfed it. Naruto frowned, flipping through hand signs. The militiamen slammed a fist into their open palm, and there was a crunch.

A slight pulse of magic made his eyes widen. _Wind Style: Breakthrough!_ The demon exploded from the shadow, only to be struck by the burst of wind Naruto exhaled. It was sent skidding into a house on the other side of the street. _Wind Style: Vacuum Bullet! _A pressurized sphere of wind soared at the demon.

Black spikes erupted from the earth in front of the demon. The sphere crashed into the spikes before dispersing. Naruto frowned. The demon pushed itself to its feet. The air around them became colder and heavier. It narrowed its eyes at Naruto.

Naruto stepped onto the street. "Mr. Pierce, you and your men might want to get the civilians out of the line of fire. I've got this one."

"All right," Pierce scowled, "Don't let its spells touch your shadow." He turned to his men and nodded at them. They saluted before scattering across the city. Pierce glanced back at him, then ran toward the Mayoral office. The demon pointed at a house behind him. Mystogan strode out from behind the house to Naruto's side. _So much for an ambush._

Naruto glanced at Mystogan. "Mind being support?"

"Not at all."

Naruto smirked. "Glad to hear it." He made the horse hand sign and gritted his teeth. There was a small gust of wind as his yellow chakra flared and flickered from his skin. Mystogan flinched while the demon fell into a stance. _Regular punches and kicks aren't going to be worth much. Best if I harden my limbs with the Titan's Fist. _Naruto's arms and legs shifted to a deep blue that bordered on black.

He drew a seal tag from a pocket on the side of his flak jacket. He smiled, then twenty shurikens flew from the tag. The demon's body shifted into a shadow and winded toward them. Its upper body emerged from the shadow before jabbing a claw at Naruto's belly. Naruto leaned away, grabbing its claw with both of his hands. Mystogan blasted a black beam the demon blocked with a forearm. It growled before swatting him away with its tail.

_Whirling Palm! _Naruto planted his palm in the side of the demon's face. The blow sent it skidding back and forced its lower body out of its shadow form. It was on its feet before he could finish his hand signs. It thrust its hands toward him, shooting a black beam large enough to engulf him. _Earth Style: Golem!_ Naruto slammed a hand into the earth, summoning a giant hand of stone that wrapped around him. Shards of stone and a cloud of dust were wrenched from the golem's hand almost instantly before the beam faded.

The golem's hand sank back into the earth until Naruto could see over it. His eyes widened, the demon was gone. He spun, lashing out with a chop that passed through shadow. Naruto lurched back when an enormous claw swung at his chest, drawing three thin cuts above his sternum.

A thin yellow beam crashed into the shadow, forcing it to leap away from Naruto. The demon shifted back to its physical form and growled. Naruto could see drops of blood a few feet in front of it on the ground. A yellow magic circle materialized over the demon's head. It destroyed the magic circle with a swing of a claw, its gaze never leaving Naruto's.

Mist swirled at Naruto's side before it shifted into Mystogan. "It might be time for your father's famous technique."

Naruto huffed. "Geez, everyone and their mother knows about one of my trump cards." Two chains slithered down from his shoulder. "The Rain of Light would be better suited to-" White vines exploded from a house behind the demon and wrapped themselves around its limbs.

Naruto's eyes widened. _That's a spell that represses the victim's magic! _The demon snarled and thrashed, tearing some of the vines from the earth. "Don't just stare, brats!" Pierce's voice barked. "Finish it!"

"Yessir!" Naruto grinned before his chains extended and wrapped around the demon's throat.

Mystogan slammed one of his staves into the ground and flipped through hand patterns. "Sweep away the darkness! Rain of Light!" A stream of golden energy flew from Mystogan's staff high into the air. Eyes widening, the demon leaned back and twisted its neck before blasting a black arrow into the house behind it, drawing a pained cry from Pierce.

The stream of golden magic transformed into three spears that fell upon the demon like lightning. The spears ran the demon through and planted themselves into the earth. The demon shook, gasped, then it exploded into a cloud of black energy. Naruto and Mystogan covered their eyes with their arms. Slowly, the black substance settled, revealing a man lying on his back, impaled on the golden spears.

"What- what is the meaning of this?" Mystogan whispered. Naruto could only stare. The man they'd wounded wore the uniform of the Serna militia. Mystogan dismissed the spears of light with a wave of his hand. "Who is this man?" he asked.

"It's a proxy spell," Naruto said, his voice empty. "That thing made this man take on its form and attack his home…" His fists were clenched and shaking as his chest began to burn.

Pierce limped toward the man. "Edward?" he murmured as he knelt. "Is that you, son?" He placed two fingers on the man's throat. After a moment, Pierce drew his hand back and wiped his eyes. Naruto leaned back on the hand of his golem. He took several deep breaths to calm the fire growing in his chest.

Mystogan strode forward and knelt. "Sei-Rha is carved into his forehead. That must be its name," he muttered, shutting his eyes.

"We're going after it right now," Naruto scowled, "Proxy spells can be traced back to the one who cast them if you're quick and lucky enough. Kurama is probably trying to figure out where this Sei-Rha is lurking." _I've never heard the name Sei-Rha, but Kurama likes researching gods and demons, he might know of it._

Naruto paused and glanced at the patch of blood on Pierce's right pant leg. "It's for the best if it's just the three of us. That good with you two?"

Pierce nodded with his fists clenched and a deep scowl. "Go as soon as you can. It'll take time for my men to be ready to follow you, but I promise they'll be coming after you."

"Sounds good to me," Mystogan said, "Let's grab our gear and leave immediately." With that, Mystogan dissolved into mist and flew. Pierce strode in the direction of the Cafe and Naruto ran to his room at the inn.

Once he was there, he removed his flak jacket and chainmail before tending to his small wounds. He turned to the mirror and flared his chakra. A seal with the word release written in its center appeared on his belly. Smiling, Naruto slid on armor. This seal was a favorite of his for a reason. He always tried to have it in place before missions. He turned. " Well?"

Kurama stood in the doorway. " Hmph, you were in such a rush you didn't even close the door, " he grumbled. " More importantly, I've found its den."

Naruto frowned and turned back to his weapons pouch. " Good work…" They stood in silence for a long moment. " You were watching the fight, weren't you?"

" For a moment, " Kurama admitted without shame, "I wasn't there when you were fighting. It took me a minute to realize I was looking at a clone of sorts. Once I did, I decided to locate the source."

" Instead of helping the militiamen, " Naruto murmured. He set his weapons pouch down. " Kurama… in some ways, you haven't changed at all."

Kurama didn't reply. Naruto didn't need him to. They'd fought over their conflicting views toward humanity in the past without either's beliefs changing. Naruto strapped his weapons pouch into place. He turned to find Kurama's crimson eyes staring up at him. "Come on. It's time for another hunt."

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Countless leaves rustled when a sudden gust of wind washed over them. The jungle itself was still. The only reason Naruto believed anything inhabited was that he could feel eyes watching him with every step he took. _Even the monsters of Serene island stay in their den when Sei-Rha's Magic is in the air. _The trail of magic the clone left behind could've been tracked by any mage easily. Naruto didn't doubt the creatures of Serene could feel it in the air. _This trail is too obvious._

He glanced at Mystogan. "Jewel for your thoughts?"

Mystogan flinched before glancing at Naruto. "It's nothing."

Naruto chuckled while Kurama rolled his eyes. "There's always something when someone says "it's nothing," ya know?"

"I just can't figure out why it took those militiamen," Mystogan said, "It must want something from them, but why them? Why not take civilians who couldn't hurt it?"

A chill ran down Naruto's spine. "If it attacked at night, it could've kidnapped entire families easily."

"Right," Mystogan nodded, "And why an attack in broad daylight?"

"For the same reason, it didn't slaughter the militiamen." Mystogan and Naruto turned to Kurama. Kurama scowled. "Pierce was the only mage worth a damn back there. Him surviving wouldn't be odd, but the others with him. They should've been dead in a second."

"I don't understand," Naruto admitted. "Why would it hold back?"

Mystogan cleared his throat, drawing their attention to him. "I'm sure that clone took a great deal of magic to create and maintain, if the creator of the clone didn't make it go all out, it's probably because the original wanted to conserve its strength for later.

Kurama grunted. "Good guess, but I don't think that's it, kid."

Naruto frowned. " Quit beating around the bush!"

"Fine," Kurama huffed, "That meeting was for squad leaders of Serna's militia. If its goal were to destroy Serna, killing them would've been the smart thing to do. Instead, it made it a point to capture several of them alive. There are a couple of reasons why it could've done that, neither are good for us." Kurama was silent for a moment. "The best scenario is that it wants to eat them slowly, while they're alive to increase its strength." Kurama grimaced while Naruto flinched.

Mystogan stared at Kurama as though he were insane. "In what world is that the best scenario?"

Kurama stopped running. Mystogan and Naruto skidded to a stop too. "The other option," Kurama continued, quietly, "Is human sacrifice."

Naruto grimaced. "The only spells I can think of like that would be-"

"Incredibly advanced Black Magic," Mystogan finished, clenching his fists, "Sei-Rha doesn't just want their magic and flesh, it wants their very souls."

"Naruto, do you remember the request mentioning disappearances?" Kurama asked. "When we asked Pierce, he said no civilians were kidnapped. The only corpses they never managed to recover belonged to mages. I think we know why only mages were taken." After a moment of silence, Kurama turned and ran with Naruto and Mystogan following closely behind.

There weren't any more words for quite a while after that. Naruto was glad no one had anything to say. He was beginning to suspect the eyes on them belonged to creatures who'd been taken over by Sei-Rha. Supposedly, powerful shadow users were capable of controlling animals by taking their shadows

_Would something like that apply to humans? Or Kurama? _Naruto gritted his teeth. _I have no idea. _They were heading into the den of a powerful enemy that was almost certainly expecting them without much information to go on. It felt like marching into battle without a flak jacket or chainmail. _Mom, Dad, I still have so much to learn to reach your level._

They ran for hours before Kurama slowed to a walk. "Is it close?" Mystogan asked.

"It won't be too long a walk from here," Kurama replied.

Naruto frowned. "It doesn't feel like we've gotten any closer for the last half hour."

"This feeling in the air," Mystogan murmured, "It's as if the trail we've been following has been buried beneath a mountain."

" It's been that way for a couple of minutes now," Kurama frowned. Naruto glanced at him. "The magic in the air increased so slowly I thought I'd imagined it. I didn't realize what was happening until the trail seemed to disappear."

"So much for finding it easily," Naruto said as he crossed his arms over his chest. _Releasing immense magic should make it easier to find Sei-Rha. _Battles between wizard saints could be felt across cities. The air could be so heavy with magic; it would make some civilians faint. _That shouldn't hide it. There's got to be more to this than it looks._

Mystogan stiffened. "I'll scout the area." He transformed into mist and flew between the trees to their right.

"Wha- hey!" Naruto cried. "We shouldn't separate!"

Kurama glared at the direction the mist went in. "I told you they'd be impossible to control."

_Mystogan was so measured in the fight with Sei-Rha, what could've made him react like that? _Naruto sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "If he's going to be like this, should we use it-"

" No, " Kurama cut in, "Not yet anyway. I want to be separate if we get ambushed."

"Got it, then we should-"Mist winding between trees caught his eye. "We'll stick to the usual."

"Yes," Kurama nodded. The mist stopped before them and shifted into Mystogan. "Let's move right away."

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Spells:

Mist Body: changes the caster to mist. Allows the caster to move quickly.

Rain of Light: light magic soars into the air before shifting into spears. These spears of light fall upon the foe, running them through. This is a spell Makarov used against Hades in the anime.

Ray: a thin beam of light magic. It's the spell Makarov used on Jose's shoulder.

Jutsu:

Shuriken Unsealing: Many shurikens are sent flying toward the foe as they're unsealed. It's based on the storage seal.

Ninja Art: Chakra Chain: chains shot from the caster's body, they usually wrap around something. A basic jutsu that every Uzumaki is taught when they're young.

Titan's Fist: An Uzumaki jutsu that hardens the skin and allows it to resist being pierced, cut, or burned. It resists almost anything.

Whirling Palm: an enhanced palm strike used in combination with the Titan's Fist.

Wind Style: Breakthrough: a gust of wind that can have its power increased or decreased at the caster's desire. The gust doesn't have to be from the caster's mouth; the caster can thrust their arm to launch the gust as well. It can also take the form of a tornado that rises from just above the earth.

Wind style: Vacuum Bullet: the user compresses air into an orb that is then shot at the foe.

Golem: a golem of stone that can vary greatly in size and durability depending on the caster. Onoki's golem is the size of a Biju while Akatsuchi's golem is about twice the size of a man.

Sei-Rha's spells:

Dark Blast: a black beam of darkness magic that can be used to drill or can be made to explode on impact.

Shadow Body. Turns the user into shadow. Rogue uses it all the time.

I won't be explaining everything Sei-Rha did in the battle just yet.

Thanks for reading.


	3. Chapter 3

Author's note: Writing interactions between someone with a lot of secrets, a sly old demon, and a ninja can be complicated.

I'm not sure how long this story will be. I will say that I have no intention of leaving any arc unfinished.

I own nothing. Please support the official release.

Episode 3: Home of the Shadow

Xxxxxxxxxxxxx

"This is it. Sei-Rha's definitely here." Kurama sniffed the air. "Naruto above the cave-"

"I saw it," Naruto muttered. "We should've known that he would be hiding in plain sight." He strode to the cave's entrance. "To think this mission would lead us to finally finding Half-Fang's home…"

There was nothing special about the cave's entrance at a glance. It seemed as if part of the hill that had sunk deeper into the earth. _Just like all the other caves in this part of Serene. _The claw marks above the entrance were all that made the cave unique. _There must have been a fight near here. _

Naruto's hand went to his neck. He was grateful his fingers were met by the comforting steel of his headband rather than the jagged scar Half-Fang had carved into his neck. _There's always a stronger demon right, Half-Fang? _It should've been comforting, it should've filled him with glee, but Naruto couldn't feel anything.

"What is this place?" Mystogan asked.

"It's where we'll find Sei-Rha, " Kurama scowled while glaring at the claw marks over the cave's entrance, "That's all you need to know."

"It's fine, Kurama," Naruto said as he adjusted his headband to make sure it covered his scar completely. _If Sei-Rha's here, then old Half-Fang is definitely dead. _He pointed to the claw marks. "These belong to a demon we fought a few years back."

Mystogan stared at him for a moment before sighing. "All right, how should we do this?"

"Can you light up the cave?" Naruto asked Mystogan as he stroked his chin.

"No."

"Then You'll go last since your spells are better support than my techniques," Naruto responded. _I guess I need a weapon out if we could be ambushed. _He couldn't count on having the time to weave hand signs. Naruto unsealed a katana and a flashlight. _I wish I had my bisento. _

"I go first," Kurama told them as he strode to the cave. He glanced back at Mystogan. "Do you have a weapon that you can use in a small tunnel?"

"I've got a Dark Knife and a regular knife," Mystogan drew a black trench knife. Naruto narrowed his eyes. _That's a knife that can fire small blasts of Darkness Magic. He's well prepared. I wonder if those are all the weapons he's got? _

He frowned. _Lighting up the surrounding area shouldn't be hard for a mage of his caliber. _He started at the staves strapped to Mystogan's back. _I've only seen him use magic through a weapon. _

Kurama grunted before striding into the cave. "Let's make quick work of this thing."

XXXXXXX

Sei-Rha covered its tracks well. As a shinobi, Naruto appreciation that. That appreciation turned to grudging respect about fifteen minutes after Kurama told them Sei-Rha's scent had disappeared. They must've searched more than ten chambers with no sign of any life in them.

Every so often, Kurama's ears would perk up, and he'd sniff the air, and Naruto would feel hope well up in his chest. Then Kurama would huff and grumble about the demons of this island being cowards. Naruto frowned. _Sei-Rha probably wanted to lure as much of Serna Town's militia to its cave as possible, so maybe it planned to have them wander around the cave system until they were exhausted? _

"Stop!" Mystogan whispered. Naruto paused to look back while Kurama only stopped and continued to sniff the air. "There's something wrong here." Naruto stared at him blankly. "Something wrong other than losing our trail," Mystogan corrected. Kurama stiffened, glancing around the chamber.

"An illusion!" Kurama hissed. Naruto froze, then he felt as though the cave was spinning. He blinked and turned.

Naruto's eyes widened. "The tunnel behind us is the third from the entrance!"

"Look!" Mystogan pointed at the ground. A few yards before them, were several footprints clearly belonging to two men and a four-legged creature. "It looks like we've been through here several times."

"We've been going in circles," Kurama growled. "For at least twenty minutes now!"

"It's a weak illusion that affects a specific area," Mystogan said, "The chambers we've been through all looked similar..."

"So all the illusion needed to do was suppress our suspicions that we were going in a circle, " Naruto grimaced. _Damn it! We were caught in an illusion so weak it's broken when you realize you're in it? _A glint from a stalactite a few feet from him caught his eye. _There!_ His shuriken struck true, embedding itself in his target. A small, red lacrima rolled from behind the stalactite. _That's the source of it. _"It must have more lacrima hidden around here. At least we know what to look for now."

"Yeah," Mystogan nodded, "But I doubt Sei-Rha will set up that type of illusion twice."

"Enough talk," Kurama cut in. "That thing knows we're here now. Let's move." Naruto and Mystogan nodded, following the fox as he trotted forward. They walked in silence for several minutes after that. The chamber almost seemed to blend, making Naruto wonder if Sei-Rha had intentionally altered them so that they would look similar to disorient potential intruders. Finally, they discovered another illusion lacrima that was set to hide a tunnel.

The next chamber they found had a putrid stench and the metallic scent of blood that made Naruto scrunch his nose, even though they'd not even entered the chamber yet. Kurama stopped at the entrance. "We're going in the right direction for sure," he said before striding into the chamber.

Mystogan covered his nose. "How do you know?"

Naruto placed his hand on Mystogan's shoulder. "That smell is-"

"Hurry!" Kurama hissed.

"You'll see," Naruto muttered as he strode after Kurama. The sight made him pause. Several rotting limbs were laying across the chamber, dried pools of blood made patches of the earth a deeper shade of brown, and broken spears littered the floor.

"Even I didn't smell anything until we were close to this cavern," Kurama told Naruto quietly as they walked. "It can hide more than its scent. Naruto… this thing might be from Zeref's book. Or worse."

Naruto grimaced. _It probably hid the smell of this slaughter so we couldn't prepare ourselves mentally._ "I agree," Naruto muttered, "It's definitely not just a strong demon." In the center of the room, Naruto noticed tiles with what appeared to be animals or demons carved into them. _Best to avoid those. _

"These men are a group of militiamen who went missing a few days ago," Mystogan said quietly. Naruto looked back and found Mystogan staring at the remains of the men with a blank look. He was a bit paler, and his grip on his Dark Knife was tight, but he seemed to have maintained his nerve. Naruto faced forward. _He's holding up better than I thought he would._

A stone fell from the ceiling, and they leaped to stand back to back. The hair on the back of Naruto's neck rose. "I swear I felt killing intent just now, " Naruto muttered while scouring the cave. _The flashlight only helps a bit. _

"The ground I stepped on sank a bit, " Kurama cursed. Mystogan's knife took on a green hue as Darkness Magic streamed through it. The green magic lit up the cavern a few feet around Mystogan. "Stay steady," he whispered. "Their first moves will be distractions."

"Mystogan, take this," Naruto murmured as he reached back to give his new comrade his flashlight. Mystogan slowly reached back and took the flashlight. Naruto made the seal of confrontation with his free hand. Yellow chakra flickered from his skin, exposing a few feet around them.

"I get it." Kurama grinned darkly as he called upon his crimson chakra, lighting up the cavern further. Something small rolled along the floor, making them all tense. Mystogan clenched his Dark Knife so tightly his knuckles went white. Naruto's heart thudded in his ears. His arms shifted a deep blue as he activated the Titan's Fist.

Something shuffled, Mystogan immediately shot a green orb in that direction. The orb struck a stalactite, detonating on impact, then something burst from the earth in front of Mystogan. He spun to face the new threat before it struck him with a claw, sending him skidding through three stalagmites and launching the flashlight through the air.

_Wind Style: Gale Burst!_ Naruto spun while swinging his katana overhead, launching a gust of wind that sent the creature flying into a wall. Kurama snarled at something behind Naruto's back and leaped at it.

Naruto ignored his friend, keeping his gaze locked on the creature he'd struck earlier. He sprinted and swung at its torso. The creature leaned back, escaping his attack with a shallow wound. Stepping forward, Naruto slashed, beheading the creature. Naruto turned while forming the tiger sign, making his chakra flicker from his skin.

A black snake lunged at his throat. Naruto flinched, bringing his arms up. The snake's fangs bounced off his arms thanks to the Titan's Fist. Naruto sliced it in two. It dissolved into dust immediately. He turned to help his comrades before greasy arms wrapped around his arms, yanking Naruto into the cavern wall, making him shout. His chakra sank back into his skin, leaving him nearly blind.

Movement in front of him caught his eye. Naruto inhaled deeply as the creature lunged. He blew, launching a gust of wind that sent his foe soaring into a stalagmite.

Channeling chakra to his legs, Naruto ran. A shriek came from behind him as he broke free from the arms and wrenched whatever held him in place from the wall. Its small, circular form skidded into Naruto, who spun and slashed the creature in two. It dissolved into dust as well.

A green orb soared past him and crashed into cavern's wall. He turned to see Mystogan shoot a yellow beam from one of his staves through the head of something twice his size, which disintegrated. Naruto scoured the area. Fire flickering in a corner caught his eye, but Kurama was nowhere to be found.

"Kurama?" he called.

Mystogan stiffened. "Councilor! Behind you!"

A snake lunged from the corner of his vision. Naruto spun, but before he could strike, a tornado flew past him, drilling into the foe behind him. He sighed as he watched the snake dissolve. He smiled. "Good timing, Kurama."

The familiar sound of small paws clicking on the ground came from behind him. "You still lower your guard too easily, Naruto."

"Good thing I have you," Naruto responded, as he knelt to pick up the flashlight. Kurama rolled his eyes.

"I apologize," Mystogan said, inclining his head slightly, "I lost my composure."

"It's fine," Naruto shrugged. He checked to make sure he still had a few batteries for his flashlight and breathed a sigh of relief when he found them. "It worked out."

"These creatures were summoned when I stepped on one of those," Kurama said, pointing at the tiles with creatures carved into them. "They probably had their shadows stolen by Sei-Rha. "

Mystogan nodded. "There will be more. Many more. They're not strong, but they'll whittle us down with time."

"Sei-Rha might be expecting us now," Naruto murmured. After a moment, he smirked and turned to his comrades. "Come on. We shouldn't keep our host waiting."

Xxxxxxx

It was another hour of walking before they saw any other hints of life. Naruto turned off his flashlight and stared at the torches along the tunnel walls. _Why? Why would it let us see? Maybe it can't use its spells in complete darkness? And why haven't we been attacked yet? _It didn't matter, he supposed. Naruto knew they had to forge on, or the men Sei-Rha had taken would die.

"Wait," Mystogan called after another fifteen minutes of silence. "Do you hear that?" he waited for a moment. "There's something close, but I can't tell what it is."

Naruto frowned while Kurama sniffed the air and shut his eyes. "Water," Kurama said, "It sounds like water dripping from a faucet. No, it's different somehow." He frowned. "I can't smell it either."

_Whatever it is, it has to be important if Sei-Rha hid its scent._ "We'll probably see what it is if we keep going," Naruto shrugged and continued down their path. Kurama strode until he was ahead of Naruto and threw him a glare for going in front. Naruto snorted, earning another glare. _I wonder how many people would guess he's so protective? _

"The dripping is getting louder," Kurama said, his ears twitching. Naruto's grip tightened around the hilt of his katana as a pit settled in his stomach. He knew this feeling. The end of the mission was near.

They took a turn, and the end of the tunnel was in sight. The dripping was loud enough to be heard without straining now. The three of them stepped out of the tunnel and gazed into the darkness. Mystogan drew a staff, which created light that illuminated everything near them. For a moment, even Kurama was lost for words.

The cavern was enormous, but that wasn't what baffled them. Before them, there were broken homes with holes, slashes, and walls that appeared to have been smashed down. The houses were separated into several lines with streets of stone between them. "It's… a village?" Naruto whispered.

"This is more than a village, this is a town," Kurama muttered as he scoured the area.

"Whatever this place is, it seems to have been abandoned long ago." Mystogan sighed as his light spell receded completely before striding to one of the homes. He placed a hand against it. "Could this place have been destroyed by Sei-Rha?"

"It wouldn't be weird," Naruto said while drawing his flashlight and striding to Mystogan, "Demons have long lifespans, I know of two who are older than a thousand, ya know." He placed a hand on the house. He stiffened and checked three more homes. Naruto turned to Kurama, who was sniffing the cavern entrance. "Kurama, touch one of these walls!"

Kurama was beside him in a moment. "Just touch it?" When Naruto nodded, Kurama pressed his paw against the home. He lowered it after a moment. "I see, Plant Magic is being used to reinforce the buildings here. Must be from a lacrima, if it came from a person or creature directly, we wouldn't be able to feel the magic flowing through it this easily."

"I'm no expert at guessing the age of buildings, " Naruto said, "But I'm sure this town has to be pretty old. Why would anyone go through the trouble of hunting down lacrima to reinforce this place?"

"They wouldn't. Unless there's some sentiment involved." Kurama's eyes narrowed. "There's no logical reason for a creature to do so, but maybe we aren't dealing with something that can think."

Naruto gave Kurama a considering look. "Go on. Speak your mind."

Kurama frowned as he thought. "What if a lacrima has been running magic through this place for centuries? It could've been programmed to stream magic through these buildings until ordered to do otherwise."

"That would explain it," Naruto said while narrowing his eyes. "The magic required to do something like that would be enormous."

Mystogan sighed. "So, we could have an enormously powerful magical artifact to recover and a demon to kill."

"It looks that way," Kurama grunted.

Naruto cleared his throat, drawing their attention. "We can look into this later. Every second we spend here is a second Sei-Rha could be planning." As they moved to begin their search again, a green orb shot from the center of the town, soaring into the cavern ceiling. Naruto stared at where it impacted with wide eyes. "All right, search over."

Ominous magic washed over them, making Naruto and Mystogan shiver. "Showtime, " Naruto muttered.

"Naruto!" Kurama hissed. "The entrance is gone!"

Naruto spun, pointing the flashlight toward the entrance. He couldn't find the entrance or the light from the torches that lit up the tunnel they traveled down. "What the hell is this?"

Mystogan's staves glowed for a moment. "It's no illusion. It must be a barrier."

Naruto gritted his teeth. He hated to admit it, but retreating was the best course of action they could take. He reached for his flak jacket's zipper when another green orb flew over the town's center. _But the militiamen are as good as dead if we run. _Kurama stared up at Naruto with an unreadable expression.

"We'll finish this now," Naruto declared. His katana disappeared in a small puff of white smoke and his arms darkened as he activated the Titan's Fist. Kurama nodded. It was all Naruto needed.

Mystogan nodded with slight hesitation. "I couldn't face the master if I ran."

With that, they strode into the town. As he walked, Naruto noticed every house in the town were the same shade of brown as the first home. _Every house is the same size, the same color, and have the same number of rooms. It might just be that they were constructed the same way, but could it be that they were created by a single spell? _

It didn't take them long to reach the center of town. It was a circle-shaped clearing twenty-feet wide and twenty feet across. It was empty. _Was this the town square? _"Wait," Naruto called. Kurama stopped and glanced back at him. "Let me check first."

Kurama stepped back with a nod. Naruto shut his eyes and flipped through hand signs slowly. Mystogan watched him like a hawk, which Kurama caught. Naruto formed the tiger sign and pointed at the town square. Hundreds of red and green letters emerged from the ground. "A barrier with three layers," Naruto murmured, "The third layer is self-repairing."

Naruto exhaled. The letters cracked before shattering. A pillar emerged from the center of the town square. Atop the pillar, there was an emerald lacrima the size of a man's head that gleamed brilliantly, illuminating the town square. Slowly, the earth near the pillar sank to form a circle around it. A silver liquid rose to fill the trench a moment later.

Naruto opened his eyes. "I couldn't break the third layer, but that's fine. It's not meant to bind or harm those near it. It keeps people out."

"Extraordinary," Mystogan breathed.

Naruto grinned, wiping the sweat from his forehead. "I got my rank for a reason."

"Mito would've destroyed all three in half the time," Kurama said as he strode into the town square. "Don't get cocky." Naruto rolled his eyes as he followed.

Mystogan took a step into the town square when a black oval spread across the earth beneath them. An invisible pressure fell upon them like a tidal wave, throwing them face-first into the dirt. Naruto's flashlight sank in on itself until it was flat."What the hell is this?" he hissed.

"I-it must be... a seal made of Sha-shadow Magic," Mystogan gritted out, his grip tightening around his staff. His other hand twitched, as though it yearned for a weapon too. He pushed himself up slightly, then slammed into the earth again with a grunt.

"Never heard of Shadow Magic like this, " Naruto admitted, grimacing as he shoved himself to a knee. He panted. _My chakra feels weird. I can't even summon my golem in this seal! _

"Is there any Shadow Magic this bastard hasn't mastered? " Kurama growled, baring his teeth as he forced himself into a crouch.

"Damn it," Naruto cursed. He scowled, accepting physical strength wouldn't be enough and forced a hand up to grab the zipper of his flak jacket. His eyes widened when Sei-Rha crawled from a shadow to their left. Its silver eyes shone with satisfaction.

What he could see of it was obscured by its black energy. He gritted his teeth. _Faster! Faster! _Kurama snarled and exhaled a stream of fire at Sei-Rha. It extended its claw, blocking the fire without flinching. Naruto's flak jacket opened, and the kanji for release shone on his belly.

The gravity of the seal lifted from him. Sei-Rha's eyes widened as Naruto slammed his palm into the earth. A giant fist of stone exploded from the ground and struck Sei-Rha's back, throwing it onto its belly. The seal beneath them disappeared in an instant.

Kurama and Mystogan leaped to their feet. Lightning shot from one of Mystogan's staves into Sei-Rha's head, making it flinch. Kurama blasted a tornado from his maw, sending Sei-Rha flying into the wall of a house. As one, they launched a stream of fire, a pressurized orb of wind, and a yellow beam at their downed foe. Black spikes rose and weathered the attack for their master. Sei-Rha bared its teeth and shoved itself up.

"I'll say it one more time. I got my rank for a reason ya know!" Naruto smirked. "Now, it's past time to slay this demon!"

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Author's Note again: I plan to update my Acnologia vs. Dragon Slayers rewrite next. We'll see what happens.

Naruto's jutsu:

Gale Burst: a jutsu Minato invented in his teens. This just unleashes a strong gust of wind with the swing of a weapon. This jutsu, which doesn't require hand signs, is perfect for those who fight with weapons. (This is an original jutsu I created.)

Naruto blasting a snake with an exhale isn't a jutsu. It's something any wind user can do. It's what Danzo used while in midair against Sasuke to direct where he would fall.

Kurama:

His tornado and fire abilities are from the anime.

Biju Twister: a tornado that can be fired from his month or created as a natural tornado.

Fox Fire: his fire stream from the anime. The fire mentioned in this chapter came from him.

Mystogan's Spells:

Thunder: a bolt of lightning. Its strength depends on the caster. For the sake of this story, this spell is the one Laxus uses to launch lightning bolts from his hand or calls down from the sky.

Thunder is used by Makarov in a video game. That's where I got the name.

Dark Delete: the green orb Mystogan used. It can be used in a barrage of several, weaker spheres. Zero used it against Natsu.

Ray: a basic beam of light magic. It can explode or piece the foe. The thinner version is the one that pierces and is more advanced. This is what Makarov used to run Jose through the shoulder.

Bright: Just lighting up the room with Light Magic.

It's harder to cast Bright through a magical item. Since it requires considerable concentration, it leaves Mystogan wide open. Not the best spell to use when you're with a small group of people in enemy territory.

Sei-Rha's spells:

Dark Delete: the green orb that he shot into the ceiling.

I won't be revealing the name of the barrier/seal spell he used. It's a bit of a spoiler.


End file.
